Take a look at the name stitched across his back, and fans see a familiar name that makes them wonder about his bloodlines. Take a look at the competitive style on the ice and he removes all doubt. The NHL may want to brace itself. There’s another Hextall coming down the road—and he’s just like all of the Hextalls that came before him.

Phoenix Coyotes prospect Brett Hextall signed a pro contract this April and will be wreaking havoc all over the Coyotes training camp this week. He spent two seasons with Junior A Penticton before moving on to the University of North Dakota.

“Yeah, [the chippiness] probably my strongest point—at least when I’m playing my most effective,” Hextall explained. “I’m really getting under people’s skin just because I’m a pest. Like a Max Talbot, Matt Cooke, or someone like that. If I can be a relentless guy, [play] in-your-face, winning pucks, and just getting under people’s skin because I’m always around, always there, and always getting a piece of them. That’s definitely when I’m at my best.”

That’s right. A Hextall just said that he’s at his best when he’s playing like Matt Cooke. Not surprisingly, it’s something he’s learned from his family. He’s known from the start what it would take to be a good hockey player.

“I got that ‘mentality’ from my Grandpa and my Dad and hearing their stories,” the 5’10” forward shared. “You play the game hard with everything you’ve got. That’s the only way I’ve ever known. I’m definitely not going to ‘wow’ anyone with my skill, but if I can play a really hard, up-and-down game, that’s when I’m at my best.”

He’s right—when he’s playing with an edge, he’s an unmistakable force on the ice. But he’s selling himself short when he says he won’t “wow” anyone out on the ice. He’s an incredibly fast skater with above average hands that are good for more than just fighting. He racked up 72 points in his final season with Penticton in “one of the best years of his life,” and then managed double-digit goals in each of his three seasons with the University of North Dakota.

Some people might be surprised that the younger Hextall didn’t follow his father’s lead into the net. But what younger fans may not realize, is that Ron isn’t the only former NHLer with the Hextall surname. In fact, Brett is looking to become the second-ever 4th generation NHL player. His great-grandfather Bryan had a Hall of Fame career for the New York Rangers. His grandfather (Bryan, Jr.) and great-uncle (Dennis) also had long careers in the NHL. All of the family made it to the NHL as skaters; it wasn’t until Ron played goal that the family made a name with a netminder. Brett told ProHockeyTalk.com that he tried on the mask and pads when he was younger—but it wasn’t for him.

“My Dad just told me, ‘Just keep playing forward, learn how to skate, and then we’ll go from there.’ I eventually never really feel in love with [goaltending]. I like being a forward, it never stuck.”

Finding a position isn’t the only advice Ron dispensed to his son, as he tried to find his career path. Ron, the current assistant GM of the Los Angeles Kings, encouraged Brett to go the college route to serve as a back-up plan if his hockey career didn’t pan out.

The youngest Hextall says going to college was always his plan. “I definitely wanted to play college growing up. My Dad played major junior and he told me, if he didn’t play in the NHL, he’s not sure where his life would have led. He definitely encouraged me to take the college route and it’s worked out pretty well.

Like so many other hockey players, there was a bit of luck that was involved when the Coyotes selected him with their 6th round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft. Assistant GM Brad Treliving revealed that the organization was in Penticton to scout a better known prospect (Zac Dalpe).

“It’s funny, when we drafted him… I remember coming out of that game and saying, ‘who’s this kid?’ He was causing a riot it seemed every shift. So we took him with the thought that he’s a competitive kid, obviously he had great bloodlines.”

Needless to say, those within the Coyotes management are intrigued with the type of player they’ve landed.

“I think his game translates to a 3rd line kind of guy,” explained Treliving. “But he can play with good players. One thing about Brett is that he has ‘hockey intelligence.’ I watched him a lot at North Dakota and he plays with a lot of energy and he can get in and forecheck; but he puts the puck in the right spot, he supports the puck well. He knows how to play the game—he’s a smart player. All of those things [type of role] will weed themselves out in training camp, but I think he’s a guy who can play in a checking, energy type role. But I wouldn’t discount him and say he not a guy who can play with good players.”

But as people keep picking apart his game and analyzing his potential, Treliving was able to pay him the biggest compliment without even trying. “He’s definitely a Hextall,” Treliving said with a laugh.

Does that mean we can expect him to attack future Hall of Famers in the future? “I might have to!” the younger Hextall said with a grin. “I have to get a few YouTube videos just to match-up [with my Dad].”

Yeah, it’s doubtful the rest of the league will be a laughing when he’s showing the rest of the league exactly what “being a Hextall” means.